Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Origins of soc.motss
Message-ID: <1179@spdcc.COM>
Date: 27 May 88 20:31:15 GMT
References: <54747@sun.uucp>
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
Lines: 77
In article <54747@sun.uucp>, wild@sun.uucp (Will Doherty) writes:
> Was anyone reading this message involved in starting the
> soc.motss (or was it net.motss?) newsgroup? Are there any
> myths surrounding the origins of motss? Pray tell!
Will, net.motss was created by me (i.e., I did the actual
"newgroup") while I was at BBN (I'm almost certain you were
there at BBN, too, since the NAMBLA discussion followed very
shortly after its creation.) I seem to think it was 4 or 5
years ago last September/October, although I am chagrined to
admit that I am not certain anymore about the date. I'm
afraid that its history is not of exactly mythological
proportions.
It arose out of some comment in net.singles about having a
newsgroup for gay issues, passed on to some folks saying
"yeah, good idea, I'll support it", and then gathering the
requisite "yea" votes. We then presented the results to
"net.groups" or whatever it was called, where it encountered
violent opposition. People were sure it would not only
scare the horses but that it would scare upper management as
well, and lead to Netterdammerung:
death-of-the-net-as-we-know-it. I mean, if upper management
knew they were spending money so that gay folks could chat
clandestinely to find sex partners, what would be next? The
whole house of cards would be in danger of falling: first
net.singles, then net.lang.c.
Some folks thought that "net.gay" was too hot a name, and so
we rather frivolously suggested alternatives. Someone lost
to antiquity peeped up with net.motss, a pun on MOTOS/MOTSS,
and it stuck. It took a lot of calm but relentless and
impassioned arguing with people to achieve consensus and to
convince folks that this would be wonderful and not a
disaster, but I believe that we did. The newsgroup was
formed, and the rest is history. About a year later, I got
a note from Mark Horton, one of the backbone folks (and at
the time spiritual leader of all of USENET), saying that we
could consider, if we wanted to, changing the name to
net.gay, since there had been no problems and the quality of
the group was self-evident. It didn't seem worth pursuing;
motss was fairly well-engrained.
I wish I could single out folks who really were instrumental
in seeing motss formed; certainly John Quarterman, then of
U. Texas, fought loudly over the hypocrisy he saw in a lot
of objections. Mark Horton seemed to be doing a lot of
behind-the-scenes work in calming others down for a topic
which was pretty new for him as well. There are undoubtedly
others I've forgotten.
Here's the first posting (something which seems more and
more dated--I mean, quaint.) I manage to post this one way
or another semi-annually!
Net.motss is a forum for the discussion of gay-related
issues of interest to all members of USENET. Its name is
an acronym for "members of the same sex", coined by
contributors to net.singles as an analogue to
MOTOS--"member of the opposite sex." It is therefore,
unfortunately, a euphemism of sorts--an alternative to the
preferred 'net.gay'. Nevertheless, the proponents of the
group have gladly passed on this minor issue so that the
group should be swiftly formed. [After a year of
operation, it was suggested that net.motss change its name
to net.gay, in recognition of its success which confounded
even its staunchest critics. However, by that time, the
acronym 'motss' was pretty well established in the USENET
community.]
Net.motss is designed to foster discussion on a wide
variety of topics, such as health problems, parenting,
relationships, clearances, job security and many others.
Gay members of USENET will find this a supportive
environment for the discussion of issues which have
immediate impact on their everyday lives. Those who
aren't gay have an opportunity to be informed by the
discussion, and are encouraged to read the news items and
contribute their own questions and opinions.
Net.motss is emphatically NOT a newsgroup for the
discussion of whether homosexuality is good or bad,
natural or unnatural. Nor is it a place where conduct
unsuitable for the net will be allowed or condoned.
Rather, like every USENET news group, it is an opportunity
for people all across the world to express their opinions,
exchange ideas, and come to appreciate the diversity
within the USENET membership.
/Steve Dyer
decvax!genrad!wjh12!bbncca!sdyer
...!ima!bbncca!sdyer
--
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer